


Sippin' in the Silence (With You)

by AetherSeer



Series: 12 Days of Winter 2017 [4]
Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Christmas Lights, Fluff, Gen, Toronto Maple Leafs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2017-12-13
Packaged: 2019-02-14 16:55:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13012101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AetherSeer/pseuds/AetherSeer
Summary: Toronto gets cold in the winter. It’s a fact of life—just like the sky is blue, hockey is the best sport in the history of mankind, and how Willy’s hair is always perfect. It doesn’t mean Auston has tolikeToronto in the winter.





	Sippin' in the Silence (With You)

**Author's Note:**

> This is for the prompt "Holiday Lights." They're there. I promise.

Toronto gets cold in the winter. It’s a fact of life—just like the sky is blue, hockey is the best sport in the history of mankind, and how Willy’s hair is always perfect. It doesn’t mean Auston has to _like_ Toronto in the winter.

It does mean that when Mitch drags him out in the name of team bonding after a win at home, Auston gains about 30 pounds in winter clothing. Mitch, in contrast, is wearing one of his heavier jackets, a beanie (“It’s a _toque._ You’re in Canada!”), and a scarf.

“Why are we doing this again?” Auston spits out. He can’t feel his cheeks anymore, thanks to the wind, and his nose probably looks like Rudolph’s at this point.

Mitch’s eyes are very, very blue against the gray sky, and the red dusting his cheeks makes him look like one of those elf dolls people sell. “You liked it last time! We saw Santa, and Willy got mobbed by fangirls, and Zach freaked out about the Ferris wheel.”

And, well, Auston _had_ liked the Christmas Market last year. He’d found some presents for his sisters and his mom, and it had been fun to hang out with the guys, but it was still fucking _cold_ outside.

“C’mon, Matts. We can get some hot cocoa and stand inside some of the stores,” Mitch bargains. He hasn’t stopped walking, though, which means Auston’s automatically keeping pace. Which means they’re getting closer to the market and farther from the ACC with every step.

“Fine.” Auston lets Mitch win this one. Mostly because he’s too cold to argue, and hot cocoa does sound good.

 

The Christmas Market isn’t too crowded in the middle of the afternoon on a Wednesday. There’s still plenty of people there, of course, and Auston steps into Mitch’s side to avoid a pair of women armed with strollers. Mitch beams up at him and bumps his hip against Auston.

Auston hip-checks him back, because that’s what you _do,_ and trails after Mitch as he dodges through the crowd. Mitch is already ordering “two  cocoas, please” by the time Auston manages to catch back up. “Get lost?” Mitch teases.

Auston scowls back, tucking his nose back into his scarf. “I wasn’t gonna run over an old lady like _some people_ ,” he mutters.

Mitch looks horrified. “I would never!”

Auston has to laugh then, because yeah, Mitch couldn't. He’s Canadian born and bred; politeness—at least to people who aren’t his teammates—is in his very bones.

The vendor coughs, and Mitch slaps down some cash in exchange for two cocoas piled high with whipped cream. Auston takes one gratefully, letting the warmth seep through his gloves. He inhales the steam coming from the drink and lets out a pleased hum.

“I know. I have all the best ideas,” Mitch says. Auston glances over and raises an eyebrow, but concedes. He takes a quick sip before he has to move to make way for a family of six. Mitch noisily slurps up his cocoa next to Auston, managing to get whipped cream on his nose in the process.

Auston snickers as Mitch goes cross-eyed, and then wipes it off with one gloved hand. “Eh.” He leans against Auston, who has to quickly adjust his stance to keep the both of them upright. “S’nice, right?”

Auston sips his cocoa and looks around. The buildings are decorated in green and gold and red, and lights glow softly in the afternoon sun. He’s seen photos of this place at night—it’s beautiful. And now, with no crowds and with Mitch a warm weight along his side … “Yeah, it’s nice.”

Mitch tilts his head against Auston’s arm, angling for a look at Auston’s face. He’s probably getting a great view right up Auston’s nostrils. “Does this mean you’ll come to the Lights Festival with me in January?”

“Don’t push your luck.” But Auston does let a smile escape when Mitch pulls out the puppy-dog eyes. “Maybe,” he allows. Mitch cheers softly.


End file.
